


Burning Chrome (script adaptation)

by etrix



Category: Burning Chrome - William Gibson
Genre: Adaptation, Body Modification, Casual Sex, Cybernetics, F/F, F/M, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Objectification, Screenplay/Script Format
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-27
Updated: 2017-03-27
Packaged: 2018-10-11 10:28:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10462824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/etrix/pseuds/etrix
Summary: A straight-up adaptation of the short story that was written for my TV Series and Adaptations class. I really like how this turned out.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Burning Chrome](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/279711) by William Gibson. 



> I tried my best to migrate the script format to AO3, but in HTML and without a courier font, it's still looks a bit weird.
> 
> If you're wondering what I use for scriptwriting, I like [Fade In](http://www.fadeinpro.com/), a tidy little program that is easy to use (and much cheaper than Final Draft).

FADE IN

EXT. KANSAS CITY - URBAN PARTY STREET (2046) - NIGHT

AUTOMATIC JACK (30s) muscled, smooth moving, and dangerous. A First Nation warrior, his darker skin and dark, plain, military-style clothes, make him stand out as he weaves through the fashionably bright, ornately outfitted CROWDS. A band of illuminated metal rings his right forearm.

In the distance, a bullet-train on elevated rails slows as it approaches the brightly lit, glass-walled train station.

Jack passes East Indian shops. In the windows, ANIMATED POSTERS advertise the latest Bollywood movies. MUSIC FROM EACH POSTER overlaps - a cacophony.

Two PATROL OFFICERS in BODY ARMOUR stalk the street. BLUE LASERS from their full-face helmets scan faces. Lock on to a YOUNG CRIMINAL...

INSERT: HEADS-UP DISPLAY displays warrant for Young Criminal.

     ... who runs as an ALERT sounds from the traffic lights. The computerized street grid halts all vehicles.

The officers chase Young Criminal through the frozen traffic. Young Criminal is TASERED and subdued within seconds.

The crowd stops, takes pictures with their eye cameras or hand-held devices. Jack slips to the back, keeps moving, easing out from the gawking crowd.

He sees an ANIMATED POSTER at a bus stop: a young androgynous African with shiny blue-silver ZEISS IKON EYES. He walks past the poster. We don't.

                                     MALE ANNOUNCER (V.O.)  
                         Simstim’s newest legend: Ubrey Ngala!  
                         Ubrey goes everywhere. Knows everyone. ...

 

CLOSE ON:

The poster shows Ubrey twirling on a European street, dancing in the middle of a pan-sexual group, naked with at least two other people of various races. Always smiling.

Ubrey looks at the camera. A FLASH from her artificial eye.

                                     MALE ANNOUNCER (V.O.)  
                         ... With the latest in Zeiss Ikon life-capture  
                         technology. ...

The camera SPEEDS up to the eye. SLOWS to move INTO it. Shows the delicacy of the internal lens chip and focusing technology. Zeiss Ikon is etched around the iris.

The camera spins, showing adventures from Ngala’s point-of-view. Simstim footage:

     1) Private yacht party  
     2) Kissing beautiful men and women  
     3) Glimpse of naked men or women in intimate situations  
     4) Fireworks

                                     MALE ANNOUNCER (V.O.)  
                         ... you’ll experience Ubrey's life as if it  
                         were your own!

The camera speeds back out to a full face shot of Ubrey. She's still smiling.

BACK TO:

 

We back away from the poster further down the street as Jack passes it. The poster switches to an androgynous Asian-mix male with blue-silver eyes.

                                     FEMALE ANNOUNCER (V.O.)  
                         Climb the tallest mountains! Dive from  
                         the highest cliffs with the latest simstim  
                         sensation: Josie Hirokawa!

Jacks strides through the crowd. We see that many have EYE CAMERA IMPLANTS, most are not blue-silver. A LATINO GIRL, with COPPER EYES, looks at Jack. Smiles invitingly.

He stops, stunned...

DISSOLVE TO:

 

INT. THE LOFT – THREE MONTHS EARLIER - EVENING

     ...a promo runs for TALLY ISHAM (early 20's, East Indian-mix, female, with copper eyes) on a screen mounted on the far wall.

                                     FEMALE ANNOUNCER (V.O.)  
                         ... simstim’s hottest personality in her  
                         new South Sea adventure!

SIRENS, BAR NOISES are the only other sounds.

The screen dimly lights the converted warehouse. Glass-bricked washroom. Thin-walled bedrooms.

The largest portion is the living room-kitchen area. TWO RECLINING INTERFACE CHAIRS face a LARGE DISPLAY ARRAY.

 

JACK’S WORKSPACE

Jack sits at a bench centred in the space.

Tools and supplies cover the walls. On the table behind the work box, LIGHTS FLASH on small monitors, stacked drives, and other equipment. Light radiates from his table making his leather vest gleams, and his bare upper arms shine. His MYOELECTRIC FOREARM is beside the table on a stand; fake skin rolled back as it powers up.

On Jack's right arm, a MILITARY TATTOO features St. Michael with flaming sword. Below it, ugly pink scar tissue marks the end of his flesh. A couple centimetres of shiny metal jut from the end of his arm.

Outside noise fades, computer fans HUM, as we draw near.

Wires run from the socket in Jack’s right forearm to a WALDO (a small, multi-fingered tool) in a DUST-PROOF WORK BOX.

 

CLOSE ON:

Inside the work box. a battered, non-reflective, impact-resistant PORTABLE HARD DRIVE.

Jack's waldo WHIRS and CLICKS, opening the shell. Reveals silver, green and gold wiring and components. Cyrillic letters visible on the edges.

Delicately, Jack’s waldo picks through the maze.

BACK TO:

 

INT. THE LOFT - ENTRANCE

The door is battered metal. Heavy. Loud FOOTSTEPS in the hall. STUMBLING. A THUMP.

Feminine GIGGLES. Male MURMURING.

 

JACK’S WORKSPACE

Jack looks up, tucks his altered arm close to his body.

 

THE LOFT - ENTRANCE

The door SLIDES open with a CRASH.

                                     BOBBY  
                         JACK!

BOBBY QUINÉ (28, mixed race, pansexual) enters. Skinny, pale from lack of sun, thick glasses, short hair. He wears mod-pirate style clothing: loose, wide-sleeved shirt, buttoned vest in bright colours, and knee-high boots. He holds a bottle of wine.

He drags in RIKKI MARSTERS (late-teens, European-mix and tall). Her eyes are light brown, and human. Her dress is electric Lolita (stylized-Victorian children's clothes: short, puffed skirt, tight bodice) bright and beribboned. Trendy.

                                     BOBBY  
                         Rikki, honey. This is my partner,  
                         Automatic Jack. Jack, this is Rikki Wildside.

Rikki give a coy wave.

Jack looks up, nods. He's detaching the waldo from his arm socket.

Bobby and Rikki walk, out of rhythm, to Jack’s table.

 

JACK’S WORKSPACE

                                     RIKKI  
                         What you working on?

Rikki stares at the socket inside Jack’s arm stump, at the wires, at the waldo.

                                     JACK  
                         Dunno. A hard-code box of some kind.

Jack reaches for his myoelectric arm. It's mostly dark metal, non-reflective, military.

                                     RIKKI  
                         What does that mean?

                                     BOBBY  
                         It means it’s a single task unit. Probably  
                         old commercial spy tech considering  
                         the materials.

Rikki looks impressed.

                                     RIKKI  
                         Really? You guys do spy stuff?

Jack’s arm locks into the socket with a CLICK.

                                     JACK  
                         I just fix things.

Bobby crowds Rikki, pulling her closer. She puts her hand on Bobby’s thigh, high, intimate.

                                     BOBBY  
                         He makes old junk work then sells it.  
                         That’s all.

Behind her Bobby mouths to Jack:

                                     BOBBY (CONT'D)  
                         Can you go?

Jack nods.

                                     JACK  
                         I need to... go get some stuff.

Bobby’s smile widens. He releases Rikki and goes to turn on date lights and music.

Rikki stares at Jack, at his bench, at his arm.

                                     RIKKI  
                         Can you fix anything?

 

THE LOFT - NEAR THE BEDROOMS

Bobby tosses laundry from his bedroom into Jack’s.

                                     BOBBY  
                         Yup! Anything you want, Automatic  
                         Jack'll fix it.

 

JACK’S WORKSPACE

Jack SNAPS his METAL FINGERS.

                                     JACK  
                         Haven't been stumped yet.

Rikki smiles. She pulls a little SIMSTIM DECK from her belt. She holds it up. Her eyes are filled with anxious concern, but not manipulation.

                                     RIKKI  
                         I dropped it. Now it only receives 2D.

Jack takes it in his flesh hand. He turns it over.

                                     JACK  
                         Tomorrow. No problem.

She smiles. It’s beautiful.

Jack can’t move. He watches as she crosses to the living room to look at the interface chairs.

Beyond her in...

 

THE LOFT - KITCHEN

... Bobby pours wine. He’s jiggling in time to the music. He starts singing along.

 

JACK’S WORKSPACE

Jack’s jolted from his trance. Marches to his bedroom...

 

JACK'S BEDROOM

Sparsely furnished with clean lines and dark neutrals, the only colour is the poster series of female anime warriors. Bobby's tossed laundry stand out.

Jack frowns at Bobby's clothes, but ignores it to grab a PRE-PACKED BAG...

 

THE LOFT - KITCHEN

Jack strides towards the door, smooth, dangerous.

                                     JACK  
                              (to Bobby)  
                         I’ll be back at noon.

                                     BOBBY  
                         C’mon. Three!

Jack looks at Rikki swaying with the music as she unties her dress.

                                     JACK  
                         One-thirty.

Bobby grins.

 

EXT. LOW-RENT HOTEL - NIGHT

BRIGHT SIGN in the window advertises rates by month-week-hour.

Jack walks to the entrance through RENT GIRLS (including trans). They cat-call and proposition him.

 

INT. LOW-RENT HOTEL – LOBBY

Lobby is a cage with an SELF-SERVE CHECK-IN MACHINE. Jack books a ten-hour stay.

The transaction is approved. The SECURITY GATE LIFTS.

A STRIP-LIGHT guides Jack to the elevator.

 

LOW-RENT HOTEL - ELEVATOR

A sign over the floor buttons reads "NOTICE - SEX IN ROOMS ONLY! ANY GUESTS VIOLATING THIS RULE WILL BE BANNED FROM PREMISES."

                                     FEMALE ELEVATOR VOICE  
                         Fourth floor.

The door opens to a grungy hallway. Dim lighting. Bad soundproofing. STRIP LIGHT guides Jack to his room. He steps out. Hears the sounds of SEX...

 

THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM

The chair SQUEAKS. MUSIC plays. ADS and SIRENS from outside. Small moans and grunts from Bobby who is in his interface chair, only half-undressed. Rikki’s riding him.

Bobby caresses her. She hums approval. Smiling. Enjoying herself.

 

INT. LOW-RENT HOTEL - ROOM

RHYTHMIC THUMPING from the next room.

Jack has a gun on the side table. He's on the bed, wiggling his myoelectric fingers, watching carefully.

 

INT. FLASHBACK - GENTLEMAN LOSER PUB - 3 YEARS AGO

Jack sits at a table, myoelectric arm to the wall, hiding it. He nurses a half-full tumbler of whiskey as he eyes an abandoned beer on a nearby table...

A group moves to the next table, boisterous. Bobby is one of them. He carries a couple pitchers of beer. He bumps Jack's table. Turns to apologize, sees Jack's myoelectric arm.

Bobby squints at it. Jack snarls.

                                     BOBBY  
                              (excited)  
                         That's first gen universal auto-jack  
                         tech. Am I right?

Jack hunches defensively. Bobby doesn't notice.

                                     BOBBY (CONT'D)  
                         Oh man! The money I could make  
                         with one of those.

Jack looks up, interested, hopeful. He sets his drink down with a SNAP...

END FLASHBACK

 

INT. LOW-RENT HOTEL

The thumping stops with a masculine GROAN. Jack's replacement fingers SNAP closed.

He gets up. Takes Rikki’s simstim deck from his bag.

Jack sits at the table, pulls SMALL PORTABLE TOOLS from his bag, and begins fixing it. It’s quiet except for Jack’s tools WHIRRING.

Then THUMPING starts from the other wall.

 

INT. LOFT - JACK'S BEDROOM

The anime posters jump from the wall.

 

INT. BOBBY’S BEDROOM - MORNING

The headboard SLAMS into the wall.

With a satisfied GROAN, Bobby falls onto Rikki. She waits a moment before pushing him off.

                                     BOBBY  
                         Sorry, babe.

Rikki hums acceptance of his apology as she stretches in satisfaction.

A moment of stillness then she’s bored. She looks around the room and sees...

    ... Computers on shelves all along the walls. Old and new, large and small, all linked together with colourful cables. Drive lights FLASH ASYNCHRONOUSLY.

                                     RIKKI  
                         So you weren’t lying. You really are  
                         a console cowboy.

Bobby drags his eyes open.

                                     BOBBY  
                         Yup.

                                     RIKKI  
                         What exactly does a cowboy do?

                                     BOBBY  
                              (shocked)  
                         You know about ICE, right?

Rikki raises an eyebrow.

Bobby rolls over, rubs his face. He looks at the drive lights reflected on the ceiling.

                                     BOBBY  
                         Okay, shit. ... ICE. Eye. Cee. Ee. Intrusion  
                         Countermeasures Electronics

Rikki doesn’t look enlightened.

                                     BOBBY  
                         Computer security systems. When you  
                         jack in to cyberspace, what you see is  
                         an abstract representation of the  
                         connections between data systems.

Rikki’s expression doesn’t change.

                                     BOBBY  
                              (stumped)  
                         It’s not a real space. Not like this room.

                                     RIKKI  
                         But... It’s like those glaciers that Tally  
                         Isham went to. ...

Rikki gets out of bed, unconcerned with her nakedness. She walks to...

 

THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM

She picks up her wine. Sits in Bobby’s interface chair.

                                     RIKKI  
                         They were in Alaska. Blue and tall. And  
                         kind of surreal.

 

BOBBY’S BEDROOM

                                     BOBBY  
                         The ones in cyberspace are manufactured  
                         images, to make people feel safe. Comfortable.

Bobby drags the sheet around himself. He stumbles into...

 

THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM

He sits on the sofa. Watches Rikki

                                     BOBBY  
                         Cyberspace is too big, too undefined.  
                         Sheeple are happier when surrounded by  
                         geometries. Shapes that look real.

                                     RIKKI  
                         And you’re not ‘sheeple’.

She holds out her empty glass.

Bobby takes it and goes to...

 

THE LOFT - KITCHEN

                                     BOBBY  
                         I’m a cowboy! ... I roam the world’s electronic  
                         nervous system, rustling data and credit in  
                         the crowded matrix.

He refills the glass. Walks back to...

 

THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM

He hands Rikki the wine glass.

                                     BOBBY  
                              (dreamily)  
                         It’s like a monochrome non-space where  
                         the only stars are these dense concentrations  
                         of information. ... High above, corporate  
                         galaxies burn and you can see the cold spiral  
                         arms of military systems. ... I’m like a comet,  
                         burning through them all...

Rikki is bewildered. Bobby is unhappy at having to simplify.

                                     BOBBY  
                         I’m a thief. I steal things.

                                     RIKKI  
                         Oh. Cool. Anything big? Stuff that made the  
                         sim channels?

                                     BOBBY  
                         I kind of try not to.

                                     RIKKI  
                              (disappointed)  
                         Oh. Okay.

Bobby shuffles, embarrassed.

                                     BOBBY  
                         It can be dangerous to get on the sims.  
                         Doing anything that big. Just need enough  
                         to live on, right?

                                     RIKKI  
                         Yeah. Okay.

She drains her wine. Looks at him.

                                     RIKKI (CONT'D)  
                         You wanna fuck again? You’re pretty good  
                         at it for a keyboard jockey.

Bobby winces at the term.

                                     BOBBY  
                         Sure, yeah. I’m... I'm up for it.

Rikki smiles and spreads her legs.

 

EXT. DOWNTOWN STREET - DAY

Jack weaves through a crowd of OFFICE WORKERS. A sleek black car pulls up, follows him. He pauses.

The door opens. He looks inside.

 

INT. THE LOFT - KITCHEN - AFTERNOON

The microwave clock shows 2:15 as Jack opens the door slowly. Dirty dishes and empty wine bottle on the kitchen counter. Clothes and a sheet on the living room floor.

He closes and locks the door. His natural hand goes to the gun he’s wearing in a holster along his spine.

                                     JACK  
                              (loudly)  
                         Bobby?

A toilet FLUSHES in the washroom.

Rikki walks out wearing one of Bobby’s shirts and nothing else. She heads to the kitchen.

Jack watches her. Delicate feet. Bare legs. Hints of feminine curves under the shirt. Exposed collarbone.

Her face. Her eyes...

                                     RIKKI  
                         Bobby’s still asleep. I think I wore him out.

He jerks back to awareness. Releases his gun. Swallows.

                                     JACK  
                              (mocking)  
                         He’s not as young as he used to be.

Rikki opens the fridge, peers in, unconcerned that her ass is exposed.

                                     RIKKI  
                         He's younger than you.

Jack pulls his gaze away.

                                     JACK  
                         But old for a cowboy. Still, he's one  
                         of the best.

Rikki backs out of the fridge. She has yoghurt.

                                     RIKKI  
                         Are you one of the best?

In answer, he takes her REPAIRED SIMSTIM DECK out of his pocket. He holds it up. Showing off.

Rikki SQUEALS in delight, drops the yoghurt. She grabs the deck from him, gives him a quick kiss on the cheek.

She runs to the living area for her bag and pulls out the HEADSET INTERFACE. She plugs one end into the deck. The other goes into the OUTLET BEHIND HER LEFT EAR.

She beams as she collapses onto the couch. Faintly, Tally Isham’s voice is heard:

                                     TALLY ISHAM (V.O.)  
                         Can you see this, my faithful viewers? I’m  
                         looking at the sunken wreck of a World  
                         War Two submarine...

Jack looks disappointed that he can’t talk to her anymore.

He puts his gun into his bag and places it on the floor.

 

THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM

He takes the sheet and drapes it over Rikki, makes sure she’s covered. She doesn’t acknowledge him.

 

THE LOFT - KITCHEN

He goes to the coffee machine, starts a cup brewing.

Bobby staggers out of his bedroom in his underpants. He spots Jack’s coffee. Grabs it before it’s finished brewing.

Jack shakes his head. Gets another cup.

                                     JACK  
                         Dog Face caught up with me today.

Bobby freezes.

                                     JACK (CONT'D)  
                         He heard rumours you'd permanently retired.

Bobby stays silent. Barely breathing.

                                     JACK (CONT'D)  
                         I told him you met a new girl. He understood.  
                         He’ll wait another couple months.

                                     BOBBY  
                              (relaxing)  
                         Thanks, Jack. You’re the best.

Jack shrugs. He takes his coffee and his bag to his work area. Bobby follows, pausing to look adoringly at Rikki.

                                     BOBBY  
                         She’s really special, isn’t she? I mean, sweet  
                         and gorgeous. ... And hot!

 

JACK’S WORKSPACE

Jack sits and unplugs his arm.

                                     JACK  
                         You say that about every girl you sleep with.

                                     BOBBY  
                         Yeah, but it’s really true this time. I mean, four  
                         times last night. That’s gotta mean something.

Jack’s jaw tightens.

 

THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM

Bobby doesn’t notice. He’s dreaming of great things.

                                     BOBBY (CONT'D)  
                         I want to do something special for her.  
                         Something big.

 

JACK’S WORKSPACE

Jack continues to prep his work space.

                                     JACK  
                         You say that every time, too.

                                     BOBBY  
                         I want to burn Chrome.

Jack stops. Blinks. He turns to face Bobby, quiet and deadly.

                                     JACK  
                         Say that again.

 

INT. HOUSE OF BLUE LIGHTS - NIGHT

Bobby, Jack and Rikki stand in the dark centre of room full of slot machines. SCARY MEN in dark livery guard the perimeter. Conspicuous cameras watch everything.

Rikki looks around with big eyes. Bobby looks excited. Jack looks unhappy.

                                     BOBBY  
                               (to Rikki)  
                         House of Blue Lights. Gambling den, jazz  
                         club and bordello. Mob run, of course.

                                     JACK  
                         You say that so lightly.

Bobby just smiles. He pulls Rikki towards a discreet corridor. Jack follows them into...

 

HOUSE OF BLUE LIGHTS - BORDELLO FLOOR

It resembles a fashion show: Trendy decor. Pumped up music.

MODELS, blank-faced women and men, walk on a stage lit from below. They wear see-through wraps over flesh-coloured underwear. ELECTRIC WRISTBANDS display their numbers.

                                     BOBBY  
                              (to Rikki)  
                         Customers choose the one they want, pay  
                         the club a filthy amount, and off they go  
                         to an upstairs room.

Rikki looks at the models on offer.

                                     RIKKI  
                         They don’t look professional.

                                     JACK  
                         They’re not.

 

BORDELLO STAGE

NUMBER 11 (20s, muscular) pauses, blank-faced, as his armband goes dark. An RFID RECEIVER plugged into the INTERFACE JACK behind his ear, starts to GLOW YELLOW.

A BOUNCER escorts a BUSINESSMAN to the stage.

Number 11 drifts to the nearest stairs. Drifts down to the Bouncer. His expression doesn't change.

                                     JACK (V.O.)  
                         They’re just desperate.

                                     BOBBY (V.O.)  
                         A model is someone who’s willing to be  
                         someone else for a few hours. They can  
                         make a killing.

 

BORDELLO FLOOR

                                     JACK  
                         Or _be_ killed.

Businessman looks yearningly at Number 11. Number 11’s expression doesn’t change.

                                     BOBBY (V.O.)  
                              (to Rikki)  
                         They write a program, temporarily implant  
                         it so the model will react like the customer  
                         wants. Call the right name, whatever.

 

CLOSE ON:

Bouncer waves a CONTROL CARD near Number 11's RFID receiver. It GLOWS GREEN.

BACK TO:

 

Number 11 becomes happy to see Businessman.

                                     RIKKI  
                         They become someone else?

Number 11 slides closer to Businessman. He's excited when Businessman grabs him on the ass and drags him away.

                                     JACK  
                         Only on the surface. Underneath... They  
                         don’t stop knowing what’s happening  
                         to their body.

                                     BOBBY  
                              (to Rikki)  
                         They mostly don't know. Just enough to  
                         keep their reactions real... Ish.

                                     RIKKI  
                         How much do they make?

                                     JACK  
                         Not enough. Nothing is worth it.

Bobby shrugs. Leads the way through electronic curtains (the noise drops) past low-key, Japanese-dining-booth-style rooms.

A glimpse shows a CLIENT reclining in a chair with built-in headset. All the walls are displays. A SERVER attaches electrodes to the client's nerve bundles.

                                     BOBBY  
                              (to Rikki)  
                         If you prefer more impersonal stimulation.

Though swinging doors into...

 

BLUE LIGHTS LOUNGE

     ... smokey jazz, high-backed booths, and dim lights.

                                     BOBBY  
                              (to Rikki)  
                         Plus they sell old-fashioned chemical  
                         stimulants. So you can see that a crap load  
                         of money passes through here.

                                     JACK  
                         Gang money. Its security is as tight as the  
                         U.S. Treasury.

                                     BOBBY  
                         Tighter.

They sit at a table. Order drinks. Beer for Bobby. Whiskey for Jack. Something with umbrellas for Rikki.

                                     RIKKI  
                         This is an awesome place. I’m glad you  
                         brought me. ...

Bobby puffs up happily. Jack looks sour.

                                     RIKKI (CONT'D)  
                         ... I just wish I had implants. I’d try  
                         everything, so I could record it!

                                     JACK  
                         You want implants?

                                     RIKKI  
                              (nodding)  
                         I’m gonna be a simstim star. Like Tally  
                         Isham! She’s the best!

                                     JACK  
                         You got to be careful: a lot of the brands  
                         are crap.

Rikki nods again. Still smiling.

                                     JACK (CONT'D)  
                         Good ones will be expensive.

Bobby takes her hand. Lifts it to his lips.

                                     BOBBY  
                         You don’t need implants. Your eyes are  
                         perfect the way they are.

Rikki giggles. She leans over. Rubs Bobby’s nose. He changes it to a kiss with tongue.

Jack looks away.

He sees CHROME, (looks 14, Korean). Her hair is metallic black. She wears a slick, shiny pantsuit, with a long, bustled jacket. Under the skin of her face, SILVER CIRCUITS shine. Her fingertips are SILVER INTERFACE CHIPS.

She marches through the club accompanied by FOUR MASSIVE GUARDS. She is confident and sneering, tiny and hard.

She sees him. Gazes lock. Her eyes are unaugmented--human. It’s a shock.

 

EXT. STREET MALL - NIGHT

Expensive shops line the crowded street. Noise and lights from all over.

Rikki drools over a jewelry display. She has one shopping bag already.

Bobby and Jack are a few steps away.

                                     JACK  
                         It’s ridiculous.

                                     BOBBY  
                         I love her. I want her to have... everything.

                                     JACK  
                         What she wants is to be a simstim star.

Bobby waves that away.

                                     BOBBY  
                         After we burn Chrome, she can have all  
                         the experiences she wants. And she  
                         won’t have to share them with anyone.

                                     JACK  
                         Sharing experiences is kind of the point  
                         of being a simstim star.

                                     BOBBY  
                         I’ll make sure she’s happy.

Rikki moves to the next store (shoes). The men follow, watching. Jack casually warns a PICKPOCKET away from them.

She looks at Bobby in question. Bobby nods. She goes in.

                                     BOBBY  
                         Did you give any thought to what we’ll  
                         need to burn Chrome?

                                     JACK  
                         Aside from a miracle? ... Insanity.

Bobby looks disappointed. Jack shakes his head.

                                     JACK (CONT'D)  
                         We don't mess with the big gangs,  
                         remember? That's why we're still  
                         walking around.

                                     BOBBY  
                         That's why we're still poor, partner.

                                     JACK  
                         I think this partnership just got itself  
                         permanently dissolved.

Bobby turns to Jack. He’s close. Intent.

                                     BOBBY  
                         Look, Chrome's the controlling interest in  
                         the Blue Lights, not just some figurehead.

                                     JACK  
                         Exactly. It’s not like worming yourself an  
                         account at some store.

Jack jerks his chin at the shoe store that Rikki is in.

Through the window, Rikki looks at a DISTINCTIVE SHOE--multicoloured and beaded, it is cute and almost childish.

                                     JACK (CONT'D)  
                         You won’t be able to hide in Chrome’s stacks.  
                         You’ll have to burn her to the ground. ...  
                         And then salt it.

                                     BOBBY  
                         We’ll figure it out.

Rikki waves at them from the shop door.

Bobby walks backwards towards Rikki.

                                     BOBBY  
                              (to Jack)  
                         I just want to make Rikki happy, like, for the  
                         rest of her life. She’s the one, man. The only  
                         one from now on.

Rikki drags Bobby into the store.

BACK TO:

 

                                     JACK  
                         Another thing you always say. ...Gonna get us killed.

A bus goes by. ANIMATED AD for Zeiss Ikon implants features Tally Isham, which merges into...

 

INT. GENTLEMAN LOSER PUB – SMALL TABLE - NIGHT

     ... Tally Isham’s eyes in a promo on Rikki’s tablet.

Rikki holds the image to her face as Jack slides the drinks onto the table. Whiskey for Jack. A fancy drink for her. Rikki sits next to TIGER.

                                     RIKKI  
                         How would I look with a pair of these?

Tiger, a skinny boy the same age as Rikki, has sculpted his face and skin to belong to no race, no region. His irises are BRIGHT MECHANICAL BRASS, his only distinctive feature.

 

CLOSE ON:

Bobby at the bar, talking to a mid-30s couple dressed like Victorian undertakers in black and lavender. He is energetic. They are languid.

BACK TO:

 

Jack picks up his drink. Sips it.

                                     JACK  
                         You still window-shopping for eyes?

                                     RIKKI  
                         Tiger just got some.

Tiger tries to smile but his eyes hurt. He sweeps a glance over Jack. His eye TWITCHES as it records. He stays on Jack’s myoelectric arm too long.

Jack notices Tiger’s puffed eyelids, and red eyeballs (and the direction of his gaze). There are small stitches around the Tiger's irises, as if it’s bleeding into the whites. When Tiger reaches carefully for his water, Jack watches that too.

                                     JACK  
                         Sendaii, right? Depth perception’s a  
                         problem with that brand.

                                     TIGER  
                         Good peripherals, though. When  
                         everything's healed.

Jack snorts.

Rikki shifts in her seat. Uncomfortable and defensive.

                                     RIKKI  
                         Tiger's leaving for Hollywood tomorrow.

                                     JACK  
                         Then Chiba City, right?

                                     TIGER  
                         Maybe.

                                     JACK  
                         Got an offer, Tiger? Know an agent? Have  
                         a place to stay, even?

Rikki gets more upset.

                                     TIGER  
                         Just checking it out. See what's out there.  
                         You know.

Jack snorts again, not condescending but not encouraging.

                                     JACK  
                         Yeah. I know.

Tiger stands up. Rikki looks up at him, unhappy.

                                     TIGER  
                         Sorry, sweetling. I gotta go.

Tiger leans over to kiss Rikki’s cheek. He walks away, shoulders tight.

Jack watches him go.

                                     JACK  
                         Those Sendaiis are illegal in lots of  
                         places. You know that, right? That  
                         kid's optic nerves may start to  
                         deteriorate inside six months.

Rikki rolls her eyes. Angry with Jack.

                                     RIKKI  
                         Sendaiis are all he can afford, so he's  
                         taking a chance. When he gets work,  
                         he can replace them.

Jack taps the ad still showing on the tablet.

                                     JACK  
                         With these? It’d have to be one hell  
                         of a good-paying job.

                                     RIKKI  
                         It can happen!

Jack peers worriedly at Rikki. Tries to catch her eyes.

                                     JACK  
                         You know better than to take a gamble  
                         like that. Right?

She sneers, but nods.

                                     RIKKI  
                         I’ve done my research. I want Ikons.  
                         Not gonna settle on less.

Jack leans back on his chair. Rubs his real hand over his face.

INSERT: Bobby's talking to an expanded group at the bar. He gestures broadly, smiles widely, enjoys the attention.

                                     JACK  
                         Those are a lot of money, Rikki.

She shrugs. Watches Bobby as he makes his way to their table.

                                     RIKKI  
                         I’ll figure it out.

Bobby arrives, bouncing a little with excitement. He kisses her with tongue.

                                     BOBBY  
                         Hey, babe! ... Let’s get out of here.

Rikki smirks, gets up.

                                     RIKKI  
                         Love to.

Over her head, Bobby mouths:

                                     BOBBY  
                         Two hours?

Resigned, Jack nods.

Jack notices Rikki’s shopping bags on the floor. Quickly picks them up, gives them to her. A quick smile of thanks.

Bobby and Rikki disappear in the crowd.

Jack settles back in his chair. Orders another whiskey. The music washes over him. The crowd doesn't interest him. He tosses back his drink. Orders another.

 

INT. THE LOFT - KITCHEN - NIGHT

Rikki exits the bedroom. She gathers her clothes. Behind her, Bobby sprawls naked on the bed.

                                     RIKKI  
                         I'm missing a stocking!

 

BOBBY’S BEDROOM

Bobby GROANS. Reluctantly rolls out of bed, searches the floor.

                                     RIKKI (O.S.)  
                         Found it!

Bobby leaves the bedroom anyway.

 

INT. THE LOFT

Rikki's standing in front of a framed poster of "To Catch a Thief". Bobby ignores her. Goes to the kitchen for a beer.

                                     RIKKI  
                         Why is this here? ... I mean, it looks  
                         really old.

Bobby wanders over to her. Looks at the poster.

                                     BOBBY  
                         It's Jack's.

                                     RIKKI  
                         He's a romantic? Sweet. He's certainly  
                         got the silent, broody thing going for him.

                                     BOBBY  
                         He's ex-military.

Bobby focuses on the movie title.

                                     RIKKI  
                         Really?

                                     BOBBY  
                              (waves at his right  
                               arm)  
                         It's how he...

                                     RIKKI  
                         Sucks.

Bobby thinks. Rikki's bored.

                                     RIKKI  
                         Ready for another round?

Bobby HUMS. She pokes him.

                                     RIKKI (CONT'D)  
                         Bobby!

                                     BOBBY  
                              (absently)  
                         Hm? Sure. Whatever.

                                     RIKKI  
                              (laughing)  
                         Nevermind.

She takes his beer and crosses to his bedroom, grabbing her simstim deck on the way. Bobby's still looking at the poster.

                                     BOBBY  
                         To catch a thief, use a thief. To find a fence...

 

INT. THE LOFT - ENTRANCE - LATER

Jack opens the door. Drunk enough to need to be careful.

ELECTRONICA plays, loud but not blaring. Underscored by PINGS and TAPS from the display screen.

 

THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM

Bobby is in his interface chair, plugged in, but also using a headset and control pad

The array curves the display around Bobby. A wall of jagged, harsh-coloured ribbons, moving but solid - electronic Northern Lights.

Bobby notices Jack’s arrival. He quickly shuts down the interface. Gets out of the chair.

                                     BOBBY  
                         Hey, Jack!

Bobby hurries over, skittish.

 

THE LOFT - KITCHEN

Jack notices a small suitcase by the sofa.

                                     JACK  
                         Bobby?

Bobby picks it up, talking fast.

                                     BOBBY  
                         I've got an idea, so I’ve got to go.  
                         To Chicago.

                                     JACK  
                         Chicago?

                                     BOBBY  
                         It’s a lead. Maybe... It'll just be a day.  
                         Less. Probably? Anyways. Don't worry.  
                         You know?

                                     JACK  
                              (confused)  
                         Okay.

Bobby circles around Jack.

                                     BOBBY  
                         Take care of Rikki, okay?

                                     JACK  
                         Yeah. Of course.

A grin. A slap on the shoulder. Bobby’s gone.

Jack blinks at the door...

 

THE LOFT - ENTRANCE

     ... Locks it.

He looks at the open door to Bobby’s bedroom. He sways, as he looks around the loft.

 

INT. THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM

He walks carefully to the couch and collapses on it.

STREET SOUNDS through the window.

RAIN starts to fall...

 

INT. THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM - MORNING

TRENDY POP MUSIC provides a soft counterpoint to the RAINDROPS hitting the window.

Jack wakes. Opens then shuts his eyes. Covers them with his real hand.

Rikki walks over. She’s wears Bobby’s shirt, stockings, and a pink Merry Widow corset. She drinks juice. Her manicured fingernails glitter.

She holds out a coffee cup.

Groaning, Jack sits up and takes it.

She sits on the arm of Bobby’s interface chair, waiting until he’s finished before asking:

                                     RIKKI  
                         What happened to your arm?

                                     JACK  
                         Got caught in a door.

                                     RIKKI  
                         Bobby said it was military. Black ops or something.

Jack shrugs, uncomfortable.

                                     RIKKI  
                         Can I touch it?

Jack looks at her. Swallows. He wants her to touch him.

                                     JACK  
                         Sure.

She slides next to him. She looks, touches. Uses her whole hand.

She explores. He watches her hand. She watches him.

                                     RIKKI  
                         You're name's not really "Automatic  
                         Jack" is it?

                                     JACK  
                         And yours isn't Rikki Wildside.

She smiles, unembarrassed. Moves closer. His breathing changes. She smiles triumphant.

Her hand spreads over his. Fingers slide between his... Out and back.

She looks straight at his eyes. Invitation.

                                     RIKKI  
                         You tell me yours. I'll tell you mine...

Accepting, he leans down.

Soft lips touching.

 

INT. JACK’S BEDROOM - MORNING

Light from a skylight.

RAINDROPS, SOFT SIGHS and the RUSTLE OF SHEETS.

Gently, Jack caresses Rikki. Worships her with both hands.

She lets him, enjoying herself.

 

EXT. CHICAGO - ALLEY IN LITTLE INDIA - DAY

Standing under a sign "FINN'S PAWN SHOP", Bobby talks fast to a slickly-dressed INDIAN BUSINESSMAN (late-30s). Indian Businessman shakes his head.

Bobby adds a CASH CARD from his pocket, to the couple already in his hand.

Indian Businessman looks around. Takes it. He gives Bobby a piece of paper.

 

INT. JACK’S BEDROOM - DAY

Jack wakes up alone.

He looks around. Sees Rikki’s bag on the floor, her hair brush on the dresser. No Rikki.

He gets up. Pulls on pants. Walks into living room.

 

THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM

Rikki is on couch. She’s wearing Jack’s shirt. Forgotten glass of wine on the side table. Simstim interface plugged in. Smile on her face. We hear THIN METALLIC SOUNDS from her playback...

Jack stands, looking at her. Yearning.

 

INT. CHICAGO - "CAFÉ BOUFARES” - AFTERNOON

A busy Franco-Arabic Restaurant. Filled with music, conversation, the TING of utensils.

NORTH AFRICAN SERVERS hurry to deliver large trays of steaming food in the front area.

They avoid the back room.

 

“CAFÉ BOUFARES” - BACK ROOM

Restaurant noise is muted.

Luxurious décor. Plump pillows in rich colours. Tile and grill work straight from the Middle East. PRETTY PETS (male and female) decorate the room. GOONS stand ready to defend.

Bobby and a FAT NORTH AFRICAN at one low table. ACCOUNTING MINION sits by himself at another.

Bobby slides a FLASH DRIVE across the table.

FAT NORTH AFRICAN takes it, plays with it. Smiles. Nods to Minion.

Minion brings over a tray. On it, under a napkin, is a MICRO DRIVE.

Bobby takes it.

 

INT. THE LOFT - AFTERNOON

Rikki's not anywhere.

Jack is in his workspace. Arm off, waldo in. Working on the Russian hard drive. On one of the monitors, rows of straight lines show his lack of progress (connections not made).

 

CLOSE ON:

In the work box, a tiny SOLDERING IRON touches down. A flare of smoke. A micro-filament joins two circuits.

BACK TO:

 

An amber light flares green. On the monitor, one of the flat lines pulses with electrical current.

Street noise, advertisements, the same soft music that was on when Jack made love to Rikki.

Jack hears something. Turns off the music. Looks over his shoulder at the entrance...

 

THE LOFT - ENTRANCE

Bobby slides open the door.

                                     BOBBY  
                         I’m back. ... Where’s Rikki?

 

JACK’S WORKSPACE

Jack turns back to his work.

INSERT: In the work box, the waldo begins work on a new section of the hard drive.

                                     JACK (O.S.)  
                         With Tiger. Watching Tally Isham’s  
                         latest simstim adventure.

A display in the control panel flashes red, red, amber. Green. Another line comes to life.

 

THE LOFT

Bobby shakes his head, moves to the living room.

                                     BOBBY  
                         Don’t know why she bothers. Probably  
                         for the best, though.  
                              (pulls microdrive  
                              from bag)  
                         ... She doesn’t need to see this.

INSERT: Jack turns in his seat to look at Bobby, unplugging the waldo.

Bobby plugs the micro-drive into his interface chair. The system boots, the screen lights up. It displays a smooth wall, like painted bricks, which grows, flashes, moves.

Bobby walks through the display, sits in his chair, plugs in.

Jack strides to the chairs, stares at the screen.

                                     JACK  
                         Whose is it?

                                     BOBBY  
                         Chrome's.

Jack twitches.

                                     BOBBY  
                         She knew somebody was having a look-  
                         see, but she couldn't trace it.

                                     JACK  
                         If she _had_ traced it, you’d be dead. And  
                         not nice dead, like a bullet to the brain,  
                         but one of her ugly cancer-viruses that  
                         dissolve bones.

Bobby manipulates the controls. The movement slows. Flashes change to a pulse.

                                     BOBBY  
                         No worries. I hacked her through a  
                         triple-blind rental system in Mombai, a  
                         Chinese underground net, and an  
                         Algerian comsat...

Jack's not impressed.

                                     BOBBY  
                              (pouting)  
                         It worked. And I found something.

Bobby concentrates on the data. The display narrows in on a section. It pulses. A coloured wave in electric water.

Pulses again.

                                     BOBBY  
                         There, see it? There again. That's her  
                         bankbook, Jack. That's where the money  
                         goes. Crow Jane was right.

Jack frowns. Leans forward, squinting.

Bobby enlarges the image.

                                     JACK  
                         That’s it?

                                     BOBBY  
                         That's it. A squirt transmission to their  
                         comsat that cuts in every hour and twenty  
                         minutes. Easy to miss.

                                     JACK  
                         Whose comsat? Where does it go?

                                     BOBBY  
                         Caymans to start. Always. After that it slips deep.

Jack stands, staring. Not breathing.

Bobby doesn’t look at him. Just at the screen.

                                     BOBBY  
                         If we can grab it before it gets to the Caymans...

Jack swallows. Shakes his head.

                                     JACK  
                         We don’t have the tools, Bobby.

Bobby finally looks at him.

                                     BOBBY  
                         Then we find them.

Jack doesn’t respond.

                                     BOBBY (CONT'D)  
                         It’s for Rikki, man. It’ll be out there.

 

INT. JACK'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

We hear GUNFIRE and the WHOOSH of pressurized air distorted by low gravity...

                                     SERGEANT DAN KEEFER (V.O.)  
                              (distorted)  
                         Get it open! Now, goddammit!

Jack wakes up. He lifts his right arm, looks for his hand.

It's still missing...

He doesn't cry.

 

JACK’S WORKSPACE - LATER

The dark box is mounted in the container. It rotates slowly, glinting under the lights.

Silently, Jack attaches the waldo. The glow from the container outlines his upper body.

Night fades to morning...

 

THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM - MORNING

Bobby wanders to his interface chair, beer in hand. A brief glance at Jack before he plugs in. Chrome's PULSE-WAVE plays-rewinds-plays on the screen.

He enlarges a section while he dials a masked number (symbols and letters). It CLICKS...

                                     ALTERED VOICE  
                         Go.

                                     BOBBY  
                         I’m looking for a pathway. Untraceable.

Bobby grimaces, eyes on the screen. He enlarges a new section. Slows it down: flash-pulse-wave,

                                     ALTERED VOICE  
                         Why?

Bobby looks at his hand. At the old-fashioned ink writing on it. Reads the words:

                                     BOBBY  
                         “Because God is Good.”

The line CLICKS, CRACKLES.

                                     ALTERED VOICE  
                         ... The man you want is Benny Koranov.  
                         Tell him "God is merciful".

 

INT. THE LOFT - LATER

Sounds from the street. The murmur of Bobby’s voice. Lights from Jack’s workspace, and from Chrome's wave as it pulses on Bobby's display screen.

Bobby gets more beer. Brings one to Jack who ignores it. Goes back to his chair.

Morning becomes...

 

INT. THE LOFT - DAY

Bobby sleeps in his chair. Half a dozen beer bottles and an empty cookie bag ring the chair.

Jack's working. The single beer bottle still half full.

The door opens. Rikki walks in. She carries fancy shopping bags.

                                     RIKKI  
                         Heya!

Bobby jumps. Wakes.

Rikki drops the bags near the kitchen. Goes to the fridge. Grabs a cooler.

                                     RIKKI  
                         You guys work all night?

Bobby looks over at Jack.

                                     BOBBY  
                         Yeah. Looking at some new tech.

Bobby approaches Rikki. Tries to kiss her.

She turns her head away.

                                     RIKKI  
                         Brush first.

Bobby steals her cooler before heading for the washroom.

Rikki makes a face, gets another.

She walks over to Jack.

 

JACK’S WORKSPACE

She stands behind Jack, watching him work on the Russian hard drive.

 

CLOSE ON:

A spinning waldo tip cuts an old, corroded filament. A second tip strings a new, shiny filament in its place. A moment of heat to melt it into place.

The main CPU fan whirs. Secondaries start up.

BACK TO:

 

The monitor lights up.

Colours, like impressionistic brush strokes, flow over the screen. One portion enlarges showing numbers and Cyrillic letters, blurry and pale. Then it paints over itself.

Rikki bounces.

                                     RIKKI  
                         You did it!

She leans over Jack. Hugs him. Kisses him sloppily.

Bobby jogs up to the pair. He frowns at how close Rikki is to Jack. Then he sees the pattern on the monitor.

                                     BOBBY  
                         Whoa!

Frantically, Bobby reads the code.

                                     RIKKI  
                         What is it?

                                     BOBBY  
                              (absently)  
                         Dunno.

                                     RIKKI  
                         Is it spy stuff?

Bobby drags his gaze from the screen. Smiles indulgently.

                                     BOBBY  
                         Nah! Probably emergency sewage control  
                         for some Moscow suburb.

Jack looks up at Bobby. Knows he's lying.

                                     BOBBY (CONT'D)  
                         Need to translate it to be sure.

Rikki makes a face.

                                     RIKKI  
                         Boring! I’m going to Tiger’s. He’s leaving  
                         tonight.

Bobby doesn’t shift his attention.

                                     BOBBY  
                         Okay. Be careful.

Rikki elbows him. He remembers to kiss her goodbye.

 

INT. THE LOFT

Both Bobby and Jack watch Rikki leave. The door closes with a CRUNCH.

 

JACK’S WORKSPACE

Bobby looks at Jack excited, triumphant.

                                     BOBBY  
                         I was right! It’s an omen. This was meant  
                         to be.

                                     JACK  
                         Coincidence.

INSERT: On screen, the ice-breaker code paints over itself, again and again.

                                     BOBBY (V.O.)  
                         Oh, come on! That’s a military grade ice-  
                         breaker. Right when we need it. ...

Bobby leans away. Points at the monitor.

                                     BOBBY (CONT'D)  
                         ... You can’t tell me Rikki’s not my good  
                         luck charm.

Jack sighs. Gives up.

He turns back to the work box to unhook the hard drive. The waldo starts up. The monitor shuts down.

                                     JACK  
                         Never trust luck, Bobby. It always disappears  
                         just before the end.

Bobby shakes his head, still riding the excitement.

                                     BOBBY  
                         Not this time. I got a name.

Jack stops work to look at him.

                                     JACK  
                         That was fast.

                                     BOBBY  
                              (smug)  
                         I went to your pal, Finn. Figured, need a  
                         fence? Ask a fence.

Jack shakes his head as he unhooks the hard drive.

                                     JACK  
                         He's a risk.

Bobby stares at it, greedily.

                                     BOBBY  
                         He didn't believe me when I told him I needed  
                         someone with enough weight to scrub clean a  
                         megabuck online cash transfer. Thought I  
                         was dreaming.

Silently, Jack agrees with Finn.

                                     JACK  
                         But he had a path?

                                     BOBBY  
                         To the Danyiniin mafiya in Sevastapol. But  
                         there’s at least five layers of cryptic Russian  
                         bullshit to get through first...

He looks at Jack with pleading eyes.

Jack stays hard. One second.... Two...

                                     JACK  
                         Fine. But if I can't make it through, we drop  
                         it, right?

                                     BOBBY  
                         Yeah. No worries!. ... Here’s the contact info  
                         for the first layer.

The hard drive is out of the box. Jack holds it up. Bobby snatches it from him. Reverently, he turns it in his hands.

                                     BOBBY  
                         Besides, someone needs to decrypt this.  
                         Make sure it’ll work on Chrome’s ICE.

                                     JACK  
                         Bobby...

 

THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM

Bobby shakes his head. Walks to his chair.

                                     BOBBY  
                         It’s gotta be Chrome, Jack. My last big job. ...

 

JACK’S WORKSPACE

Jack doesn’t say anything. His flesh fingers flex and curl.

 

THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM

Bobby connects the Russian hard drive next to the micro-drive with Chrome’s code sample. Turns on the interface.

                                     BOBBY (CONT'D)  
                        Code’s changing too much. I'm getting slow. ...

Bobby sits down, plugs in.

                                     BOBBY (CONT'D)  
                         I’ll figure this out. You contact the guy who'll  
                         scrub the money clean.

 

JACK’S WORKSPACE

                                     JACK  
                         Even with that thing, she’ll figure out who we are.

 

THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM

The display screen fills with the blurred paintbrush designs of the Russian ICE-breaker.

                                     BOBBY  
                              (chuckling)  
                         Don't worry. Her whole security code is built   
                         to keep people out. She didn’t bother to build  
                         a tracking program.

And Bobby’s gone: lost in the art of the Russian code.

 

JACK’S WORKSPACE

Jack’s shoulders drop when he realizes Bobby’s not listening anymore. He rubs his head as if it aches.

From a side table, he grabs a WIRELESS EARPIECE. Inserts it.

He looks at a DIGITAL PHOTO: himself and four SQUAD MATES, including SERGEANT DAN KEEFER (30s, AmerAsian, with cubed hair).

He turns away.

                                     JACK  
                              (into headset)  
                         Dial Macao. Overseas code, eight five three.  
                         Number, five five five nine...

 

INT. TRAIN STATION – MAG-LEV PLATFORM - AFTERNOON

Empty glass-walled platform. ANIMATED ADS ECHO. In one corner, we see the MAG-LEV TRAIN stopping.

                                     AUTO-ANNOUNCER  
                         ... boarding for Denver, Salt Lake City, Las  
                         Vegas, Los Angeles. ...

The space fills with COMMUTERS.

 

DEPARTURE GATE

Commuters file through the Arrivals Gate.

Rikki stands with Tiger. She wears the DISTINCTIVE SHOES she bought earlier. The Traveler ahead of Tiger presents travel documents to TSA GUARDS, gets scanned, patted down: invasive and threatening.

                                     TIGER  
                         I wish you were coming with me!

                                     RIKKI  
                         I’ll get there. You know I will.

Tiger nods.

                                     AUTO-ANNOUNCER  
                         ... three minute warning for westbound Sun  
                         Worshipper. Now boarding for Denver, Salt  
                         Lake City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles. ...

His turn. A desperate, hard hug. A final look.

He's surrounded by security.

Lost to her....

 

INT. TRAIN STATION

Rikki watches as the MAG-LEV TRAIN leaves the station.

Beside her, an ANIMATED POSTER shows the mag-lev train in a floating tube in the middle of an ocean : "NOW, NON-STOP TO JAPAN!”

Rikki puts her hand on the poster. Longing.

She sits. Stares at the matching poster across the corridor.

TSA Guards watch her suspiciously.

 

EXT. TRAIN STATION - EVENING

A regular bullet train slows as it nears the station. Lights shine through the glass walls. Rikki finally stands and leaves, determination radiates...

 

INT. THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Bobby is in his interface chair as Jack tinkers with the circuits. Jack's on the phone as he works.

                                     JACK  
                              (into headset)  
                         Please assure Mr. Ivanov that this it's just  
                         a little glitch. We are moving forward...

Bobby deciphers code. Sweat runs down his face, covers his hands. He rubs it off on his pants.

The swirling data slows and stays slow.

                                     BOBBY  
                         That’s it! Holy shit. We got it.

Jack looks at the screen. Finishes the connection.

                                     JACK  
                              (into headset)  
                         No. You can tell Mr. Ivanov that it’s  
                         sorted out. We’ll be sending him  
                         our business in...

He pokes Bobby.

                                     JACK  
                              (mouthing)  
                         How long?

Jack closes on Bobby’s chair. Bobby HUFFS out controlled breaths, like a weight-lifter. His hands flail unconnected to anything.

                                     BOBBY  
                         Fifteen minutes?

Jack moves to his own chair. Opens it up and begins connecting it to Bobby's with fiber-optic filaments.

                                     JACK  
                              (into headset)  
                         Forty-five minutes. Our transaction  
                         code will be attached.

Bobby GROANS like an athlete reaching his limit. The data on the screen resumes its previous movement.

Bobby unplugs himself. Jumps out of the chair. Talks to himself.

                                     BOBBY  
                         Five minutes! We’ll have five minutes.  
                         In, out. No problem. I can maybe  
                         even get us some more once we’re in.

Jack’s voice is a background murmur as he slowly disengages from the conversation.

                                     JACK  
                              (into headset)  
                         Tell Mr. Ivanov that we appreciate his  
                         patience... Yes, we do understand. ...  
                         Yes. Thanks again.

Bobby hops around the loft, shaking out his arms, rotating his neck. He talks non-stop, keeping up his adrenaline.

                                     BOBBY  
                         It’s gonna be a big one, Jack. I can feel  
                         it. Just gotta be quick. ...

He goes into the kitchen and grabs a sports drink from the fridge. He looks at the time display.

                                     BOBBY (CONT'D)  
                         ... It’s nearly time for House Blue Lights  
                         to close for the night, so Chrome will  
                         be making her deposit. We might catch  
                         it. ... No. Not "might". We're gonna.  
                         This is gonna be big...

He drains the bottle. Grabs another one. Goes back to:

 

THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM

Bobby stands over Jack as Jack rewires his own chair to connect to the code-breaker.

                                     BOBBY (CONT'D)  
                         Think of it, Jack. I mean, _think of it_!  
                         You could get that Ono-Sendaii clip  
                         for your workbench.

                                     JACK  
                         Löster’s is better.

                                     BOBBY  
                         Well then, get that! ... I’ll take Rikki  
                         on a cruise. ‘Round the world, or  
                         maybe to the moon.

Jack tenses as Bobby laughs.

                                     BOBBY  
                         Imagine me on the moon!

                                     JACK  
                         Moon’s nothing special. Just grey rock.

Jack finishes splicing the wires.

                                     BOBBY  
                         Right. I forgot you were there.

 

EXT. FLASHBACK - MOON PRISON COLONY - SIX YEARS AGO

Jack and his squad in PRESSURE SUITS, in a corridor. BULLET and LASER fire hitting all around them. Sound is distorted by the low gravity.

Stuck at a door. Jack is in the control panel, manipulating leads with his two real hands. His helmet is a HEADS UP DISPLAY (HUD).

                                     SERGEANT DAN KEEFER  
                         Get it open! Now, goddammit!

                                     JACK  
                              (low-voiced prayer)  
                         C'mon, c'mon, c'mon...

Dan gets a BULLET in the leg. His suit DECOMPRESSES. Dan swears through the comm.

Jack connects. His HUD flashes "CONFIRMED". The door opens with a WHOOSH of semi-pressurized air.

                                     JACK  
                         Yes!

His team evacs. Jack reaches for Dan with his right arm. Throws him through the door. A LASER SHOT cuts off his forearm.

His team drags him in. His hand bounces down the low gravity corridor as the door closes.

END FLASHBACK

 

INT. THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Jack SNAPS the cover back into place. He takes a breath...

                                     JACK  
                         I wouldn’t mind forgetting it.

He stands up.

                                     JACK  
                         We got half an hour. Finish that. Take  
                         a shower. I’ll make us some food.

Bobby chugs more of the sports drink as he moves to the washroom.

                                     BOBBY  
                         Nothing heavy. Nothing that’ll sap  
                         the brain cells.

                                     JACK  
                         I know the drill.

Bobby turns around, walks backwards, and gives Jack an uncomplicated grin.

                                     BOBBY  
                         You always have my back.

 

INT. FLASHBACK - JACK'S BEDROOM - TWO DAYS AGO

Jack rolls into Rikki. Her decorated nails score his back.

END FLASHBACK

 

INT. THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

                                     JACK  
                         You know it Bobby.

Bobby disappears into the washroom. Jack waits until the door closes.

                                     JACK  
                              (into headset)  
                         Call Dan.

Faintly we hear it ringing. It’s picked up.

                                     JACK  
                              (into headset)  
                         Dan. I need a favour.

 

INT. MMA GYM - NIGHT

Sparring in the background. The sound of weights and workouts.

Dan, in a tank top showing the same tattoo as Jack but on bigger muscles, wears a bright headset. Easily visible under his square hair cut.

                                     DAN  
                         You got it, man.

 

INT. THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM - DAWN

Bobby and Jack are settled in their interface chairs. Bobby plugs in using his behind-the-ear jack. Jack uses cables from his myoelectric arm.

                                     BOBBY  
                              (nervously)  
                         You get us to Blue Lights servers, and  
                         I’ll work the ICE-breaker.

                                     JACK  
                         Yup.

                                     BOBBY  
                         You’ll have to locate the transfer,  
                         ‘cause I’m gonna be fighting to  
                         keep our little Nikita in check.

Jack grunts.

                                     BOBBY  
                         We can do this. We’re gonna do  
                         this. Right?

He looks at Jack. Jack nods back.

                                     JACK  
                         We’re gonna do this.

Eyes forward.

                                     BOBBY  
                         For Rikki.

He turns on the linked interface. The display wraps around both of them.

As they plug in, comets appear in the empty space. First, Bobby’s yellow comet, jumpy and pulsing. Next, Jack’s solid, steady green.

 

INT/EXT. CYBERSPACE

A vast infinite of galaxies. Streaks of light shoot between them.

     Some clusters are jagged balls of glacier-style ice.

          Green comet in the lead, they stream past the data nexuses....

                                     BOBBY (V.O.)  
                         Nikita’s running. ...

Cyberspace lurches.

     Their lights blur. The colours soften. Impressionist pastels.

          They leave shadows behind them....

                                     BOBBY (V.O.) (CONT'D)  
                         ... Yes! We just became an Eastern  
                         Seaboard Fusion Authority inspection  
                         probe. Radioactive, baby!

Other comets shift trajectories, get out of their way.

                                     JACK (V.O.)  
                         Fusion's not radioactive.

                                     BOBBY (V.O.)  
                         Whatever. We're now an office supply  
                         inventory update, anyway.

They approach Chrome’s nexus: a smooth wall of shifting colours, like layers of Northern Lights.

Cyberspace lurches.

     Their comet colours change again. Still blurred, but darker, harder.

          Chrome’s wall looms larger. Huge and impassable...

They touch the wall. Everything freezes. ELECTRONIC HANDSHAKE sounds played ultra-fast.

     Chrome’s wall darkens where they touch.

          Where they touch it melts away, material pulling back into itself...

 

INT. THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM - DAWN

                                     BOBBY  
                              (laughing)  
                         Son of a bitch! We just told Chrome  
                         we're an IRS audit and three Supreme  
                         Court subpoenas. ... Hang on to your  
                         ass, Jack. We got this!

Bobby waves a hand.

 

INT/EXT. CYBERSPACE

Their comets enter the ice ribbons.

     Tiny balls of pulsing red light flash out from the wall – alarms to the real world.

          The yellow comet intercepts a couple, turning them grey and dead. Others escape...

                                     BOBBY (V.O.)  
                         Alarm's out.

 

INT. THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM

Jack nods. Hits a button with his left hand...

                                     JACK  
                         Understood. Countdown started.

INSERT: A counter in the corner of the display starts up: 00:00:00.001... 002... 003...

 

INT. CHROME’S BEDROOM - DAWN

Reflected in a mirror is an abstract clock.

And Chrome, naked, on top of another female. (Rikki, but we don't see her clearly). We see a female wrist with the contract bracelet. It's tied to the bed post. We see a glimpse of Rikki's DISTINCTIVE HEELS.

We see blood splattered on the sheets. ...

Alarm lights FLASH. A high-pitched BUZZ.

Chrome pushes off Rikki. Looks up in EXTREME SLOW SPEED. She looks feral.

 

INT/EXT. CYBERSPACE

Chrome’s ice ribbons press in. They turn matte grey where the comets touch them.

     Other parts of her ice ribbons are dimming, hiding their data.

          Ahead of them, a sheet of ice, massive and clear, moves to cut them off...

 

INT. DOOR TO CHROME’S BEDROOM - DAWN

POUNDING on the door. It opens. Massive Guard One walks in.

Speed varies as Chrome throws on a silky, metallic  dressing gown. Strides past the guard, and out the door, gown flaring behind her. Massive Guards Three and Four wait outside.

Chrome jerks her chin towards the bed. Three and Four enter the bedroom. One falls into step behind her....

 

INT/EXT. CYBERSPACE

The grey is taking over Chrome's ice-ribbons. It catches more alarm flashes. Nullifies them.

     It eats through the clear ice, dropping data.

          The wide ribbons split...

 

INT. THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM - DAWN

                                     JACK  
                         Got something. ...

 

INT/EXT. CYBERSPACE

Their comets approach a bit of broken data. A open-weave tube made from spiky ribbons.

                                     JACK (V.O.)  
                         Chinese transat ID. Lots of calls to and from.

The ribbons patchily recombine into something semi-Asian.

     The comets change shape. Now they look like a bad Asian watercolour painting.

 

INT. THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM - DAWN

Bobby and Jack in their chairs. Bobby's hands and eyes twitch and twist.

Jack grips the armrest with his one good hand. Only his eyes move.

                                     BOBBY  
                         Okay. We’re an incoming scramble from  
                         a contact of hers in Japan.

 

INT. OUTSIDE CHROME’S ROOM - DAWN

In extreme slow speed, Chrome strides into the corridor. Her dressing gown swirls around her. Ten feet ahead, Massive Guard Two holds open the control room door.

Behind, in the bedroom, Massive Guard Three unties Rikki. Massive Guard Four gets out a first-aid kit.

 

INT/EXT. CYBERSPACE

Sheets of Chrome's ICE ribbon turn grey and dissolve.

     The gap around the comets grows behind and to the side of them. It fluctuates in front. Flashing angrily.

          Fighting...

 

INT. THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM - DAWN

Bobby is sweating. Eyes and fingers move in blurs. His jaw is tight.

                                     BOBBY  
                         It’s getting away from me. We need to  
                         find the core!

                                     JACK  
                         On it.

 

INT. OUTSIDE CHROME’S ROOM - DAWN

Chrome reaches the open door. Strides through it without stopping. Beyond is room with banks of mainframes. Lights glow on only three-quarters of them. More are dying.

 

INT/EXT. CYBERSPACE

Green in the lead, the comets break through the ice-ribbons into an open space.

     In the middle, a bright blue sphere.

         Sparks fly from it to the wall. Millions of them.

                                     BOBBY (V.O.)  
                         Yes!

 

INT. CHROME’S CONTROL ROOM - DAWN

Chrome’s breath frosts as she strides to her interface chair. She sits. Jams her fingers into the interface controls. Circuits where her fingernails should be.

 

INT/EXT. CYBERSPACE

Between the comets and the core, blocks of BLACK ICE float. The comets swerve around it.

Beyond that, the Russian ice-breaker's gray virus continues to spread along the outer perimeter.

     It travels back along the sparks.

          Running for the core. ...

 

INT. THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM - DAWN

                                     JACK  
                         Keep it away from the core!

                                     BOBBY  
                         I’m trying! ...

 

INT/EXT. CYBERSPACE

Along the spark trails, the grey viruses PUFF out of existence.

     One. Two. Three...

          One. Two. Three...

                                     BOBBY (V.O.) (CONT'D)  
                         ... You just worry about the black ice.  
                         Touch it and we’re dead.

The comets jump up, avoiding a large slab of black ice.

     The black ice reverses direction.

          Nearly clips them...

 

INT. CHROME’S CONTROL ROOM - DAWN

The display screen lights up, but jumpy and broken.

Chrome growls. She slams her head back against the chair. Interface pads shoot out from the head rest and latch on to her circuited face.

Her eyes roll to white.

 

INT/EXT. CYBERSPACE – CENTRAL CORE

It looks like the surface of the sun except translucent.

     The comets break through it to the core.

Blue flashes pulse out from the centre.

      They create waves that hit the sun-wall, creating the sparks we saw earlier.

A sun-spot builds on the centre core.

     The green comet races toward it.

 

INT. THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM - DAWN

                                     BOBBY  
                         NOW! Burn the bitch down!

Jack twists his arm. The cable connected to the micro-drive SNAPS up. A light on the micro-drive turns ICE BLUE as it powers up.

 

INT/EXT. CYBERSPACE – CENTRAL CORE

Black ice unfolds, moving around the inner wall.

The green comet, now with an ice blue tail. accelerates, aiming for the bright blue flare.

     A gray spot appears on the wall of the core. It spreads.

          Hits the black ice lining.

 

INT. CHROME’S CONTROL ROOM - DAWN

In her chair, Chrome jerks up as if hit with over-powered electic paddles.

Most of the mainframe towers are dark. Emergency lights glow.

 

INT/EXT. CYBERSPACE – CENTRAL CORE

Black ice separates from the mass. Chunks fall towards Jack and Bobby’s comets.

The large blue flare is nearly hit.

     A smaller flash runs into one. It is absorbed by the black ice.

          Nothing remains.

Jack’s comet jumps up. Just under the large blue flare.

 

INT. THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM - DAWN

In his chair, Jack jerks up as if hit with over-powered electric paddles.

                                     BOBBY (O.C.)  
                         Hurry up!

 

INT/EXT. CYBERSPACE – CENTRAL CORE

The green comet spins around the silver flare.

     It leaves an ice blue tail wrapped around it.

          Shaping it...

 

INT. THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM - DAWN

Jack huffs out a breath. He's sweating.

 

INT/EXT. CYBERSPACE – CENTRAL CORE

The blue flare bends...

 

INT. CHROME’S CONTROL ROOM - DAWN

Chrome sets her teeth, and fights back.

 

INT/EXT. CYBERSPACE – CENTRAL CORE

     The blue flare pulses from between the ice blue.

 

INT. THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM - DAWN

Jack grits his teeth. Flexes his real hand.

 

INT/EXT. CYBERSPACE – CENTRAL CORE

The ice-blue tail spreads into bandages, containing the blue flare.

     In the background, the yellow comet darts from black ice to black ice, destroying it.

 

INT. CHROME’S CONTROL ROOM - DAWN

Blood runs from Chrome’s eyes, nose and ears.

 

INT/EXT. CYBERSPACE – CENTRAL CORE

The ice-blue bandage, now in control of the bright blue flare, disconnects abruptly from Jack’s green comet.

     The green comet tumbles....

 

INT. THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM - DAWN

Jack is flung around. He makes a SOUND like it hurts. Bobby’s nose bleeds unnoticed.

                                     BOBBY  
                         Come on. Come on. Come on.

 

INT/EXT. CYBERSPACE – CENTRAL CORE

Black ice falls, killing every program it touches except for Bobby's yellow comet.

     Bobby's comet protects Jack's as it tumbles,

          Tumbles... Tumbles...

 

INT. CHROME’S CONTROL ROOM - DAWN

The circuits under Chrome's skin start glowing...

 

INT/EXT. CYBERSPACE – CENTRAL CORE

Jack’s green comet straightens out. Dodges a piece of black ice. Bobby’s yellow comet joins him.

                                     JACK (V.O.)  
                              (strained)  
                         Get us out of here, Bobby.

The yellow pulls ahead of the green.

     They both change into flashing emergency lights.

 

INT. THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM - DAWN

                                     BOBBY  
                              (tired and hurting)  
                         Alarm codes.

                                     JACK  
                         Right.

 

INT/EXT. CYBERSPACE – CENTRAL CORE

The comets streak towards the core’s wall. Black ice falls.

     Hits the gray left by the Russian ICE-eater.

          The gray eats the black and leaves nothing behind.

 

INT. CHROME’S CONTROL ROOM - DAWN

Chrome KEENS as her facial circuits burn out.

 

INT/EXT. CYBERSPACE – CENTRAL CORE

The rest of cyberspace is visible through Chrome's tattered remains.

     No ribbons, no defense. No core.

          A high metallic SHRIEK reverberates through cyberspace...

 

INT. CHROME’S CONTROL ROOM - DAWN

There are no mainframes working. Only emergency lights. The displays are dead.

Chrome lifts her blood-covered head from her chair. Her facial circuits are black. She looks up. Her human eyes are shocked, frightened.

Menacing, Massive Guards One and Two step closer.

 

INT/EXT. CYBERSPACE

Chrome’s nexus dissolves like ash blown on the wind.

Two comets escort the ice blue flash. They pass through a trembling mirrored square.

     They emerge in their original colours, gaining definition before they wink from view.

          An ice blue streak goes in a different direction...

 

INT. THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM - DAWN

Bobby laughs and cries. His arms flop away from the keyboard, boneless with exhaustion.

                                     BOBBY  
                         We did it.

 

INT/EXT. CYBERSPACE

The large BLUE flash moves unhindered to a farther part of cyberspace.

 

INT. THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM - DAWN

Jack assesses his physical damage. Ribs, wrists...

INSERT: The elapsed-time display reads 00:07:24.05 ...06 ...07 ...

 

THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM

Jack disconnects the cables from the equipment. Leaves them attached to his forearm.

                                     BOBBY  
                         We’re gonna be rich.

INSERT: On Bobby's interface chair, the Russian drive has melted. Metal drips from the seams of the non-reflective cover.

                                     BOBBY (CONT'D)  
                         I need to check the figures.

Bobby starts up the interface. The constellations are back.

Jack looks at Bobby’s blood-covered face. He puts his myoelectric arm over his chest. The cables curl around his ribs. Levers himself out of the chair.

                                     JACK  
                         You do that.

Jack hobbles to...

 

THE LOFT - KITCHEN

... the fridge and grabs a beer. Downs most of it. Rubs the cold glass over his face and neck. Keeps his right arm tucked protectively close to his chest..

 

THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM

                                     BOBBY  
                         Oh my... Jack! You gotta see this.  
                         We’re rich.

Jack looks up. Doesn’t move.

                                     JACK  
                         That was the plan. Forty of whatever  
                         we caught.

Bobby nods, not looking away from the screen.

                                     BOBBY  
                         Yeah, but... We caught a lot!

Jack frowns, moves toward the screen.

 

THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM

Jack's phone RINGS.

He taps the earpiece.

Jack sees the numbers. Freezes in shock. Sound fades.

He stares at split screens displaying multiple bank accounts. Numbers are big and growing. Total balance: unbelievable. Bobby's laughing. We don't hear it.

Jack's phone RINGS bringing his awareness back to the now.

                                     BOBBY  
                         Rikki's gonna freak when I tell her! ...

                                     AUTO-ANNOUNCER  
                              (thru Jack's headset)  
                         Call from... Sergeant ... Dan)

Jack's attention shifts away from the money. He turns slightly.

                                    BOBBY  
                         ... Forget that stupid simstim stuff.  
                         I'll give her the real thing!

                                     JACK  
                         Dan?

 

EXT. SIDE STREET NEAR THE HOUSE OF BLUE LIGHT - DAWN

A sign marks the staff entrance for the House of Blue Lights. Staff scurry out carrying bags. Every time the door opens, alarms are heard.

Half a block away, Dan stands in shadow, watching. His earpiece light is dim.

                                     DAN  
                         Hey, Jack, man. Funny thing here...

 

INT. THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM

The numbers are still growing. Bobby uses his shirttail to clean up the blood on his face.

                                     JACK  
                         Tell me.

 

EXT. SIDE STREET NEAR THE HOUSE OF BLUE LIGHT

Dark cars exit the parking garage. Massive Guards One and Two are in the lead vehicle.

                                     DAN (O.S.)  
                         I found her, like you asked. In the  
                         House of Blue Lights...

 

INT. THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM

Jack walks away.

                                     JACK  
                         What?!

 

EXT. HOUSE OF BLUE LIGHTS

A UNIFORMED GUARD grabs the bag of an EMPLOYEE. Poker chips and cash cards fly from it. Other staff run in to grab some. Another Uniformed Guard comes out.

                                     DAN (O.S.)  
                         Last known use of her card.

 

INT. THE LOFT - LIVING ROOM

Jack runs his hand through his hair. He walks to his workspace.

                                     JACK  
                         Is she there now?

 

EXT. SIDE STREET NEAR THE HOUSE OF BLUE LIGHT

                                     DAN  
                         I don’t know, man. It's insane down  
                         here, like the place just shut down.

Police alarms are heard. Dan starts walking away as...

 

EXT. HOUSE OF BLUE LIGHTS

Riot police pour out of vans and into the front entrance of the House of Blue Lights.

 

EXT. SIDE STREET NEAR THE HOUSE OF BLUE LIGHT

The police raid goes on behind Dan.

                                     DAN  
                         There's seven kinds of alarms going  
                         off, everybody running, but no sign  
                         of your girl.

 

INT. LOFT - LIVING ROOM - DAWN

Jack paces.

                                     JACK  
                         Dan, get out of there. Don’t look for  
                         her anymore.

                                     DAN (V.O.)  
                         You serious? I –

                                     JACK  
                         You can keep all the money I transferred  
                         to you. Just... Go home.

Jack hangs up. He glances at the display array...

INSERT: The numbers have stopped moving on the display screen.

He doesn't see the figures, focusing internally.

Behind him, Bobby gets out of his chair. Takes off his shirt.

                                     BOBBY  
                         You know we could get a new processor  
                         pack. I saw enough of that Nikita to  
                         recreate some of it....

Jackstalks over to his workspace, disconnecting the cables.

 

JACK’S WORKSPACE

Jack puts down the cable attachment. Picks up his myoelectric arm.

Behind him, Bobby walks to the washroom.

                                     BOBBY (CONT'D)  
                         I can take Rikki with me and shop for  
                         parts in China and India. That'll be a  
                         trip, won't it? She'll enjoy that.

Jack attaches his myoelectric arm. Stalks to the door.

                                     JACK  
                         I'm going for a walk. Don't forget to  
                         pay Dog Face.

Bobby walks to the washroom. Waves that off.

                                     BOBBY  
                         Wait’ll I tell her that we're made for  
                         life. No need to move to L.A.; we can  
                         go there anytime we want.

Jack stalks to the door.

                                     BOBBY (CONT'D)  
                         If you see Rikki, let her know we're rich.  
                         Champagne tonight to celebrate!

Bobby enters the bathroom.

 

THE LOFT - ENTRANCE/HALLWAY

Jack's SLAMS the door shut behind him.

                                     JACK  
                         Tell her yourself. Asshole.

 

THE LOFT

The loft is empty and quiet.

 

EXT. SIDE STREET NEAR THE HOUSE OF BLUE LIGHT - LATER

Jack strides along the sidewalk, head down.

He stops when he can see the House of Blue Lights. The police are carrying out a body. A DETECTIVE unzips the bag. Inside is Chrome, bloody face and sightless human eyes.

Jack turns away, visibly upset.

 

EXT. GENTLEMAN LOSER PUB - EARLY MORNING

GENTLE JAZZ comes from the club’s exterior speakers.

A WELL-DRESSED CUSTOMER exits as Jack enters.

 

INT. GENTLEMAN LOSER PUB - EARLY MORNING

Jack walks in. Sees Rikki sitting in a booth.

Rikki sips a milkshake, moving as if she hurts. She wears huge black sunglasses, a long sleeve sweater, and her distinctive heels. She plays with her simstim deck.

He walks up to her. She doesn’t turn her head.

                                     JACK  
                         Rikki.

He stands over her. She looks up.

He waits.

She takes off the sunglasses. We get a good look at her nail polish design.

ZEISS IKON blue looks back at him.

INSERT: In Rikki's eyes, the mechanical iris opens and closes as it focuses.  Ringing each iris, ZEISS IKON in tiny capitals is etched in gold.

Tiny stitches around the iris. No colour bleeds into the white. A beautiful job.

Jack swallows. Sits. Breathes. He forces himself to say:

                                     JACK  
                         They're beautiful. You made some money.

Rikki shifts uncomfortably. Looks away.

Jacks sees covered-up bruises on her wrists, her throat. Teeth marks on the tops of her breasts.

                                     RIKKI  
                         Yeah, I did.

Jack waves away the SERVER before he can come close.

                                     JACK  
                         You won't ever have to do that  
                         again. We just pulled down a  
                         big score. Bobby’s waiting -

                                     RIKKI  
                         No. I've got to go. Now. Before...  
                         You understand.

Jack nods. His myoelectric arm lifts. He watches it take her hand.

She clutches it.

                                     RIKKI  
                         I've got a one-way ticket to  
                         Hollywood. I’ll stay with Tiger.  
                         We’ll market ourselves as a pair.

Jack needs a moment.

                                     JACK  
                         Send me an address. I’ll send your  
                         stuff to you.

Rikki smiles.

                                     RIKKI  
                         You've always been very sweet.

Still holding his hand, she stands up. Carefully, she leans down and kisses him, long and slow.

A final caress. She leaves.

Jack watches her.

The Server darts forward, waving Rikki's bill. Jack stops him. Takes it, already pulling out a cash card.

She left behind her simstim deck.

Jack takes out his portable device.

ON DISPLAY:

The Sun Worshipper train reservation site.

Jack plugs a small drive into the port. The screen fizzles then flashes “ENTER SEARCH STRING”.

He has to think.

He types in MARSTERS/ERIKAH.

Her booking is displayed: 1 ECONO/COACH. DEPARTING 10:35AM. KANSAS CITY, MO > LOS ANGELES, CA. +BAG SURCHARGE.

He changes it to: 1 EXEC/LUXURY. DEPARTING 10:35AM. KANSAS CITY, MO > CHIBA CITY, JAPAN (HOTEL INCL). NO LIMIT.

He makes it a return ticket. The train company's logo shows on the screen behind the "ACCEPTED" message.

 

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. TRAIN STATION - MAG-LEV PLATFORM (2046) - MORNING

The display board shows the train company's logo. NOW ARRIVING: EAST BOUND.

From the speaker:

                                     AUTO-ANNOUNCER (V.O.)  
                         ... the 11:15 Moon Chaser from Los  
                         Angeles, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, and  
                         Denver, now arriving.

Jack searches the arriving horde, but Rikki isn't there.

THE END.


End file.
